John Gregory (settler)

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John Gregory
Deputy of the
General Court
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk[1]
In office
1659–1695
Preceded byMatthew Canfield
Succeeded bySamuel Hayes
Personal details
Bornc. 1612
Nottinghamshire, England[2]
DiedAugust 15, 1689[2]
Norwalk, Connecticut Colony[2]
Resting placeEast Norwalk Historical Cemetery, Norwalk, Connecticut
Spouse(s)Sarah St. John (m. 1635)[2]
ChildrenJohn Gregory, , Judah Gregory, Joseph Gregory, Thomas Gregory, Phoebe Gregory Benedict (m. John Benedict), Sarah Gregory[3]
ResidenceNew Haven Colony,
Norwalk, Connecticut Colony
OccupationShoemaker, tanner

John Gregory (also John Griggorie) (1612 – August 15, 1689), a cobbler and tanner, was a founding settler of Norwalk, Connecticut. He was a deputy of the General Court of the Connecticut Colony in the sessions of October 1659, October 1662, May 1663, May 1665, October 1667, May 1668, May and October 1669, October 1670, October 1671, May 1674, May 1675, October 1677, May 1679, October 1680, May 1681, October 1695.

Emigration and residence in New Haven[]

He was born in Nottinghamshire, England in 1612, the son of Henry Gregory[3] and Mary Goody. He emigrated with his father in the early 1630s. He is known to have lived in the New Haven Colony between 1639 and 1646. In 1644 he was admitted to the New Haven Court. His sons Joseph and Thomas were born in New Haven in 1646 and 1648, respectively.

Settlement of Norwalk[]

Roger Ludlow purchased the land that would become Norwalk in 1640. Ludlow contracted with fourteen men for the original planting of Norwalk. In 1649, Richard Olmsted and Nathaniel Ely became the first two settlers. One of the fourteen was Richard Webb, whose wife was John Gregory's sister.

John Gregory lived in the East Norwalk section of Norwalk, along what is now East Avenue. He was an active member of the community, holding office almost continuously during his life in Norwalk.

He is listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founding settlers of Norwalk in the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery.

Settlement of Newark[]

When the New Haven Colony was absorbed into the Connecticut Colony in 1662, many of the Puritan settlers were displeased at the fact that the new colony's constitution didn't include certain restrictions on non-Puritan settlers.[4] The New Haven colonists believed that only members of the Puritan church should be allowed to vote, and that only the children of church members could be baptized.[4]

In response, the New Haven Puritans sent Robert Treat and John Gregory to meet with Philip Carteret, the new Royal Governor of New Jersey. The group chose the present day site of Newark for a new settlement. In May 1666, the Puritan settlers, led by Treat, purchased the land directly from the Hackensack Indians.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ An Historical Discourse in Commemoration of the Two-hundredth Anniversary of Norwalk
  2. ^ a b c d Hay Genealogy
  3. ^ a b Norwalk v.1
  4. ^ a b c History of Newark
Preceded by Deputy of the
General Court
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1659 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
General Court
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1662, May 1663
With: Matthew Canfield 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
May 1665 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1667, May 1668
With: Walter Hoyt,
Richard Olmsted 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
May and October 1669
With: Richard Olmsted,
John Douglas 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1670
With: Daniel Kellogg 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1671
With: John Bowton 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
May 1674
With: John Bowton 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
May 1675
With: Thomas Benedict,
John Bowton 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1677
With: John Bowton 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
May 1679
With: Richard Olmsted 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1680, May 1681
With: John Platt,
John Bowton 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy of the
Connecticut General Assembly
of the
Colony of Connecticut
from Norwalk
October 1695 		Succeeded by
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